The bet they should have kept their hands off
by AngelAmore
Summary: Christmas at Grimmauld Place isn't a tranquil feast, is it? Hermione can't decide, while hoping for Fred to finally make his move. (EWE, Fremione, Fred lives) My entry for the Mini Fest 2017


Title: The bet they should have kept their hands off

Author: AngelofAmore

Pairing(s): Hermione/Fred

Prompt: Caught under the enchanted mistletoe together.

Word Count: 1800

Rating: T

Contains: *Fred lives, EWE, Post war*

Disclaimer: Harry Potter characters are the property of J.K. Rowling and Bloomsbury/Scholastic. No profit is being made, and no copyright infringement is intended.

Notes: My first try on Fremione

Summary: Christmas at Grimmauld Place isn't a tranquil feast, is it?

* * *

"Dinner!", Mrs. Weasley's voice echoed through Grimmauld Place. Harry had invited everyone for Christmas, and the House was packed.

Hermione knew why he had done it, and had supported him. The new burrow wasn't as big as the old one had been, for practical reasons, most Weasley's had moved out after all. With all the rooms at Grimmauld Place though, it was the perfect location, after the renovations had been done. Even Mrs. Black had been shut up by the twins, but they wouldn't tell a soul just how they had achieved it.

One of said Weasley's was sitting next to Hermione in the library now and grinned at her. She had tried to read her book for the last hour, but he made it his challenge to stop her. Why had she even bothered to bring a book, she didn't know. Maybe to escape the turmoil, even if it was just for a few minutes.

She loved the Weasleys dearly. They had accepted her into the family long ago, even after Ron and her didn't work out, but she was an only child too. All the excitement tired her after some time. She preferred the silence of a book to refill her energies.

Everyone understood and left her alone once they noticed. The library was her domain.

That was until a certain red head had decided he was a better company than the silence. Hermione wouldn't tell him that his jokes had in fact relaxed her, and that she did feel better even after an hour of constant interruption. His ego was big enough already, without her encouragement.

She had noticed that he sought out her company after the war. At first it had been unremarkable. The normal jokes and guff. She had smiled every time. After all the horror she had seen, it had felt awesome to be able to laugh again. She even admitted to herself that she envied him. He and George had been able to keep their jolly side, and made others feel better.

From time to time they cheered everyone up with a new show on Potterwatch, together with Lee, but most of the time they spend at their shop and introduced new products. Some even were rather useful, but most were just for the fun of it.

The Glitter Snitch was one of the harmless, and in Hermione's opinion useless, new inventions they sold. But she knew her opinion was biased since she never could connect to the boys love of Quidditch. Why one would need a Snitch that showered the catcher in glitter was beyond her comprehension.

"Let's get going, before your mother sends out the troops in search of us.", Hermione set her book aside and tried to get up, but found herself rooted to her armchair. She tried and failed again. Suspecting a certain red headed twin in her proximity she narrowed her eyes on him.

"May I offer the fair Lady my assistance?", Fred stood in front of her, holding his hand out for her.

"What did you do Fred Weasley?", she asked neutral but didn't take his offered hand.

"You wound me.", Fred gasped and looked at a spot above her head.

"Just a small Christmas present George and me made for everyone."

"A mistletoe!", Hermione sighed when she followed he gaze.

"Never boring with you around, isn't it?" Giving in she took his offered hand and received a kiss on the hand. Startled she looked at her hand and at Fred again who had a goofy smile in his face and pulled her up towards him. He gathered her in his arms for a moment and then dragged her towards the stairs, giving Hermione no chance to react.

It was always like this. Whenever there was a situation they could get closer he used it in his own way and left her to figure it out afterwards. Hermione was quiet sure Fred wasn't shy. She remembered after all, that he had shouted his question for a Yule Ball date across the whole Common Room. But the situation they were in wasn't something Hermione had been able to figure out, and it made her mad at him and happy to have something special with him all at once.

She had even asked Ginny for help, but her friend had looked her dead in the eye and told her to 'woman up' or wait forever for a brother of hers to grow bollocks. Then she had muttered something else Hermione hadn't caught and left the room.

Down at the table everyone had gathered and Hermione sat down next to Harry. Fred flopped down next to her and winked.

Dinner was, like always, a loud affair with so many people around.

"Oi! Hand over the potatoes Charlie.", Ron shouted from one end of the table to the other. Bill took the bowl out of said brothers hands, and piled up the potatoes on his plate handing it over to Ron afterwards. Empty.

"Bill!", his wife and Molly scolded him. The later signed and flicked her wand to refill it for Ron, who glared at his older brother. Much to the amusement of the rest of the table the twins took over then.

"Gred I think."

"Yes Forge me too."

"We would love some potatoes!" Fred made the bowl fly over to them with a flick of his hand and filled his and George's plates while Ron was left without food yet again. Even Hermione was offered some, before Ron finally got his hands on the bowl. This time they gracefully had left him one lone potato he popped right into his mouth.

"I hatsch yu all!", he said with his mouth full and went to find something else to eat.

"What's taking them so long? They are dancing around each other for months now!", Ginny complained to George and Ron after dinner.

They had watched Hermione and Fred vanish to the library again, while standing in the hallway.

"I hate you for making that bet with Harry.", she said directed at George.

"I want to marry him, ever since he rescued me from that awful diary. He knew it, hinted at it for months, but you had to make that stupid bet, didn't you?"

George held his hands up in surrender.

"Hey, I didn't know my twin wanted to do it the slow way. We all thought he would have her swept of her feet by Christmas. Don't hex me. Harry agreed to the bet, you know."

He was, like all of his brothers, afraid of Ginny's wrath. In hindsight it hadn't been his best idea to bet with Harry. Not when the bet was about the proposal the raven haired man had prepared for his little sister.

Still it had been innocent enough six months prior. All Harry had to do was wait until Fred had kissed Hermione. Something his stupid brother still hadn't done.

"Why are you following me Fred?", Hermione asked once she was seated in her favourite chair again. She had noticed him behind her right after she had left the table, but had stayed quiet till now. "

Can't have someone else catch you under the mistletoe, can I?", he joked and sat down on the couch opposite of her. Hermione didn't look up from her book, when she finally answered him after some silence:

"So you admit to wanting to kiss me finally? Took you long enough."

She didn't know where her courage came from, but while she blushed madly, she hoped she hadn't made a joke out of herself.

Fred didn't answer her. When a few minutes passed Hermione finally looked up and tried to look happy.

"Just a joke Fred.", she proclaimed.

But Fred wasn't grinning at her like she hoped. He looked rather serious. There was a blush in his face and he was at a loss of words. They looked at each other trying to figure out what to do next. The decision was taken from them when Hermione looked up and saw just why Fred was rooted to the spot.

"It looks like your own joke caught up with you .", she tried to hide her laughter but barely managed. Standing up she went to sit next to him and pointed her finger at the troublemaker above them.

"So should I kiss your hand or do you want to grow some bollocks, as Ginny called it?"

"I think I'm would be happy either way, as long as you'll have me.", Fred finally whispered.

The blush still clashed with his red hair, but he finally smiled and leaned in. Their noses where touching but they took it slowly. Both relishing the moment they had waited for so long.

"Just fucking snog her Fred and put Harry out of his misery.", Ron shouted and rolled his eyes. He couldn't win the bet anymore anyway after all this time. Who would have known that his outgoing older brother could be such a ninny about a simple kiss.

Apparently Bill, cause once Fred kissed Hermione he smiled and shouted:

"Pay up you looser!" and rubbed his hands.

Hermione's eyes where closed when their mouths finally touched. The kiss was sweet at first and her hands clasped his pullover. His own hands were at the back of her neck, pulling her into his lap. There was a small moan when he bit down on her lower lip, to make her open up to him. They forgot everyone watching them for the next few minutes.

Ginny only looked at Harry next to her and smiled with tearful eyes:

"Finally!", she whispered and Harry dropped to his knees in front of her right away.

"I'm sorry it took so long. You know just whom to blame for it. After all this waiting, will you still do me the honor of becoming my wife?"

There was no need for a verbal answer, as Ginny threw herself at him. The charmed mistletoe popped up over their heads joining the whistles and catcalls for them to celebrate.

Nobody noticed when Fred and Hermione vanished from the room for some privacy. They would congratulate later.

For their own wellbeing everyone involved hoped Hermione would never find out about the bet. Else they knew there would be hell to pay. But maybe she hadn't noticed just what Harry had said in his proposal.

One can hope, it's Christmas after all.


End file.
